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Commuter group Riles Laan sa Sambayanan (RILES Network) trooped the public consultation called for by the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) to protest against the government’s renewed push for fare hike in the MRT and LRT.

According to Sammy Malunes, RILES convenor and spokesperson, increasing fares in the MRT and LRT amidst the recent bigtime power rate and oil price hikes would cause an economic disaster to Filipino commuters.

“We are enraged on how callously this government insists on implementing the MRT-LRT fare hike despite the fact that the country is still under a state of national calamity” Malunes said.

“This push for a fare hike, which comes in the wake of significant increases in the price of LPG and other petroleum products and proposals for a record-high power rate hike by Meralco, is part of the economic disaster that the Aquino government is cooking up against the majority of Filipinos” he added.

RILES meanwhile claimed that the DOTC’s “public consultation” is just a public announcement of the planned increase and vowed to continue and intensify these protests against the MRT-LRT fare hike insisting their five (5) demands and proposals for improving the country’s mass transport system:

Stop the MRT/LRT fare hike!

Abrogate the onerous contract with the MRTC!

Stop privatization of the MRT and LRT!

Nationalize the country’s railway system!

Promote a safe, efficient and affordable mass transport system!

“For years, the public has been successful in blocking fare hikes in the MRT and LRT through various protests both in the streets and online. As long the government persists in its plan to increase fares in the LRT and MRT and as long as our concerns are not addressed, protests will continue and opposition against this plan would increase” Malunes said. ###